On average, adult blogs are among the least professionally written online. I can say this with confidence because:
- I was once a journalist
- I am an arrogant prick
That’s a minor criticism of the world of porn given that most blogs are ridiculously bad, less like writing than the digital tourettes of a chimp with a laptop who suffers an electric shock if she doesn’t type and another if she makes a spelling mistake. Bad adult blogs do well because let’s face it, tits are fascinating.
Blog’s casual style is a strength, if they read like newspapers less people would be excited about them, but being casual new doesn’t make the good habits of professional writers irrelevant. The following five basics would make all blogs better:
- Credit. Writing a blog post based on a source who isn’t credited is journalistic burglary, denying another writer the recognition they’ve earned. When it happens to me it makes me want to punch people. In the genitals. Almost as bad is ‘cloning’ posts, taking every word of an entry and republishing it in whole. Doing so removes any need for readers to visit the original source of the story, even if a link is provided. This also makes me want to punch people in the junk.
- Enhance. Blogs which don’t produce original material, but focus on directing readers to original sources, have two options - they can provide raw links, or they can add commentary and analysis. Unfortunately many blogs do neither, providing ‘commentary’ which does nothing more than re-hash points made in the links they’re sharing. This is pointless and stupid, the Paris Hilton combination, it wastes readers time and fills me with an urge to knee people in the nuts.
- Entertain. The best blogs are entertaining (it’s an arguable point, but arguing with me is facile, I’ll win. Let’s pretend we argued, that I won and move on.) Popular blogs which aren’t humorous need to be written to professional standards (e.g. BoingBoing). Those which are neither funny nor well written are lucky (and were generally launched before competition made quality a pre-requisite for success.) Boring people isn’t a skill and boring blogs make me think about kung-fuing someone’s biscuits.
- Edit. Journalists are lucky enough to have their work edited by professionals who remove their worst missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliot. Most bloggers don’t have editors, which makes mistakes inevitable and should make corrections equally popular. Typo’s are easy to fix and don’t need to be announced, while mistakes in content (like my infamous “Homemade thermobaric explosives – for kids” post) need to be corrected publicly. It enhances your credibility, keeps everyone’s lawyers happy and makes Mr. Boot visiting Mr. Ball less likely.
- Respond. Most comments and emails deserve responses (I normally take less than a day to answer either, unless sex is offered in which case I drive over immediately). Blogs without reader feedback are monologues, the preserve of mad homeless people and one-man shows – both known for being as much fun as fishhooks through the hackysack.
Feel free to let me know if you’ve caught me egregiously breaking any of my own rules, nobody’s perfect (aside from Jessica Alba, in a bikini, as my hot semi-naked footstool.)
While I cannot say if Sam was ever a journalist (or if he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die), but I can say that any claims that he is a prick must be taken with a grain of salt. Sam does indeed respond quickly and is generous with his time. This is great advice for any blogger. So often these days I count myself lucky if there is punctuation…
Thanks Sam… I have been lax in one or two (hopefully not more) of those areas - this was just the kick in the butt I needed to get me back to my former professional writing ways. Just because everyone else does it, doesn’t make it right.
Um…how can she be your naked footstool if she’s in a bikini?
(maybe if its one of those ones that turns transparent when wet?)
Shay - we can discuss your butt offline…
Rich - well done for being the first person smart enough to spot my intentional mistake. Ha! Ha!… Ha.
Fixed.
I have one to add:
I you have a link on your page labelled “home”, it should go to the homepage of a website, preferably the same website the link is on.
Tony - you’re today’s second prize winner. Fixed.
Sam.
Are any of these rules specific to sex blogs? It seems there might be a whole set of potential conduct and etiquette that should be touched upon. . . I’ll start you off.
1. If you get involved with a blogger, don’t ask them, “Are you going to blog about this?” Especially not right after you both get off.
Ellie I think you’re writing your own post, sex blogs aren’t that different. As for your first rule - I think our interview techniques might differ a little…
A good rule I’ve learned about sex blogging is that the proper level of discretion is not always obvious. So it’s a very good idea to ask people what they’re comfortable with.
An example: I blogged about being asked to send a paddle to QTN for an appearance on one of their shows. In the post I mentioned the name of the producer I talked to, assuming that this was okay. He emailed and asked me to remove his last name, which I did. I didn’t connect him with his job title and obviously kept his email address out of it, so I’m pretty sure that it wasn’t an attempt to avoid being spammed with requests. I’m not sure whether he was uncomfortable being linked to the paddle, the network, or generally prefers anonymity, but I respect his wishes.
From now on, I definitely plan to ask anyone I mention on the blog how they would prefer to be referred to,
Thanks for the mental kick in the ass, Sam. I saw myself in a couple of those points (I knew you were right when I automatically wanted to argue with you about them). Seems like it’s easy to start with good intentions but after a while, people get lazy.
As far as sex blogs specifically, I have another thought to add: Constancy of content. When you’ve been posting for a while, you build an unspoken contract with your viewers; they expect a certain flavor and presentation of content from you, and while they’ll love a little change and even the occasional substantial variation, if it looks like it’s becoming a regular change, you’re also changing readerships unless all of your original readers also happen to enjoy your new topic (and your take on it). Change happens to all blogs with time, as does minor deviation from your mission statement, but reader shift’s something to be aware of so it won’t catch you off guard.
A more specific point: explicitness. If your blog has a certain level of it, any sudden change up or down is going to jar people a little, especially if it’s done with photos, especially if they’ve taken to surfing sex blogs at work. That happened to a friend of mine- and no, he wouldn’t tell me which blog it was.
BadAss - you’re raising a good point, and answering Ellie’s question. I see that a sex-blogger/sex-biz etiquette post might be useful. I’ll see what I can do - it’s one of those areas I’m so used to I forget it’s not instinctive to everyone. Thank you (and you Ellie) for the inspiration.
Katie - you’re right. That said, one of the surest causes of stagnation is fear of playing with a winning formula. No one wants to be New Coke (even if in a double blind taste test people prefer the flavor). The question is, can a change bring more gains than losses? One thing I do know is that listening to your biggest fans is a sure ticket to doom - they never want any changes at all and forgive your most egregious mistakes.
Badass - You are totally right. My own boyfriend often tells me things that he wants expurgated from my blog so as not to identify him. I think I’m referencing a private anecdote about him and it turns out that he has written a magazine article about the anecdote and it is identifying! People have lots of different motivations for wanting to be anonymous or not mentioned in a particular blog. Discretion is definitely key.
Sam - Speaking of discretion, how did you find out about my interview tactics? I can’t believe someone tattled to you. In my defense, I always get the interview first
Ellie - I have sources everywhere…
With perhaps the exception of a well known nutter like Emily Dickenson, all writers thrive on validation. Unless one is satisfied by accolades from a wearied friend or a few dissolute pub mates, this is best achieved in the arena of publication.
Obviously, the phenomenon of blogging offers an instant launch pad for developing an audience without enduring submission guidelines, agents and rejection slips. Blogging is easy on the ego.
Regardless of genre and venue, all writers need an editor. More important than typos, misplaced modifiers, or the syntax of a batty spinster jabbering away behind a locked door, writers need the response of an audience.
Quite rightly, there is substantial difference between monologue and dialogue. Since journals, by nature, afford numerous styles of reflection, the process can be as fluid as necessary.
A writer should be bold enough to be the outsider, like King Lear’s Fool, and chronicle all forms of the human condition without flinching.
Yet all writing – like any purposeful art, must express a specific point of view that engages an audience and offers fresh insight. If there is no audience, then the writer has failed to create a dialogue and is merely engaged in a monologue of gratuitous masturbation.
I’m no different than anyone, and when I fail to produce dialogue, I feel exposed like a daft wanker in the public square.
Clayton - well said. You really got me with that last line. I’ll admit I’m a little teary…